Great Composers

Legendary American songwriter Ervin Drake has died at the age of 95. Born Ervin Maurice Druckman in New York, he had his first track published at the age of 12 and scored his big break in 1942, when he came up with the English lyrics for Brazilian instrumental Tico-Tico.
He also put words to Juan Tizol's composition Perdido and went on to write American Songbook standards such as I Believe and It Was a Very Good Year, which was originally written for Kingston Trio folk star Bob Shane and famously covered by Frank Sinatra.
His other well-known tunes include Quando Quando Quando, Father of the Girls, Castle Rock, A Room Without Windows and jazz standard Good Morning, Heartache, which has been recorded by the likes of Billie Holiday and Diana Ross.
Drake served as the president of the American Guild of Authors and Composers from 1973 to 1982 and was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1983.
Sharing the news of his passing with Twitter.com followers on Thursday (15Jan15), his friend, veteran singer/actor Robert Davi, writes, "one of the Great American Songwriters and my friend Ervin Drake has died... join me in paying tribute to a Great Artist."
Actress Leslie Uggams also paid tribute to Drake online, tweeting, "So very sad to hear of the passing of Ervin Drake. He was a great friend and songwriter. My condolences to his family", and musician Michael Feinstein adds, "So sad to hear about the passing of Ervin Drake".
Further details about Drake's death had yet to be released as WENN went to press.

Paramount Pictures
Everyone knows that you can't judge a cartoon or comic book adaptation by its trailer; you can, however, feel free to judge it by its theme song. Every great cartoon of the '80s and '90s lived and died by its theme song, and no show embodied that idea better than Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. The heroes on a half shell loved theme songs so much that every few seasons they re-inevented them, replacing synths with hip hop beats and adjusting the shrieking vocals to a different decibel each time. Even the films got in on the action, churning out memorable, if not impeccably crafted, earworms that would resonate throughout your skull for hours afterward. With the latest incarnation of the turtles set to hit theaters on August 15 (with a brand new theme song of its own, natch), we decided to take a look back at some of the sonic works of genius that the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle franchise has gifted us with over the years. And yes, you are about to be shell-shocked.
8. TMNT (2007 Movie) The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are no ordinary heroes. They’re goofy, ridiculous, and over-the-top... they’re literally mutated turtle warriors who live in the sewers and eat pizza. They deserve better than wordless, generic drama that would work just as well on any random action movie out there. Where’s the personality? Where’s the fun?
7. Ninja Turtles: The Next Mutation The theme song itself is disappointingly unremarkable for all of the insanity that these opening credits suggest. There’s live-action turtles on motorcycles, some kind of witch who seems to have had the same hair and makeup designer as David Bowie in Labyrinth, plenty of weird CGI orbs, some of it is animated but most of it isn’t, there’s a brand new turtle… and the best you can come up with is “Na-Na-Na-Na-Ninja?” What a letdown. How did we tolerate that as children? Surely we knew we deserved more. (Start at 2:25 to judge for yourself.)
6. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2003) The theme song for the 2003 animated series starts out strong, with the dramatic introduction, the wailing guitars and vocals that sound like a failed audition for a hair band. But the attempt to be exciting and retro starts to grate very quickly, and it feels like the composers were trying too hard to re-capture the '80s TV show, instead of embracing the essence of their turtles. Also, the phrase “heroes on a half shell” isn’t mentioned once, and that’s just unacceptable.
5. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles II: Secrets of the Ooze There is perhaps no phrase in the world that better encapsulates the ‘90s than “Vanilla Ice’s song for the live-action Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie, ‘Go Ninja, Go.’” But the real beauty of this song isn’t in watching Ice and some turtles break it down in some baggy, high-waisted pants while his hair flops about with a mind of its own. No, it’s in Ice’s poetic lyrics where the song really shines, thanks to lines like “Lyrics. Fill in the gap,” and “Ninja, ninja rap.” And just in case you need time to recover from those pearls of song-writing, it ends on an extended dance break. That’s the voice of a generation right there.
4. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2014 Movie) When you think Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, surely the first names that pop into your head are (Oscar winner) Juicy J, Wiz Khalifa, and Ty Dolla $ign, right? If you’ve never heard some of the most popular rappers of our day rapping about pizza, turtle power, and about wanting a cut of the cheddar like Shredder, you haven’t truly lived. Presumably, it was an attempt to bridge the gap between a child-friendly property and a more grown-up movie, but it really just succeeds in being a glorious cacophony of ridiculousness. If you’ve ever wondered what the sonic equivalent of a Michael Bay movie would be, well, this is it.
3. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1990 Movie) The theme song for the first Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles film caters to a very niche demographic: fans of old school hip hop and live-action interpretations of beloved cartoons, who has difficulty remembering key plot details. “Turtle Power” is basically a scene by scene summary of the film’s events set to a slick beat – and by slick, we mean “has a lot of DJ scratch effects in it” – but it’s just so ridiculous that it’s hard to be upset at the unimaginative lyrics. There are three dance breaks! We can’t get mad at that.
2. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (2012) From a songwriting stand point, this theme song barely scrapes past “Turtle Power,” in terms of creativity and complexity. But as far as an introductory song for a children’s show, it’s pretty well done. It introduces all of the characters, the premise, throws in a few clever puns about being “shell-shocked” by a “lean, mean, green ninja team,” and the beat is surprisingly catchy. Sometimes you don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes you just need something that will make kids sit still for thirty minutes at a time, and a slightly shouty chorus that will no doubt echo through the house for hours afterwards.
1. Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (1987) It’s the classic theme song formula: throw together a repetitive chorus, some clever rhymes that establishes the show’s premise and set it all to some sweet, sweet '80s synths. Add the right amount of sugar and you can practically picture children jumping around their houses, screaming “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” over and over again. It’s simple, it’s memorable and it will be stuck in your head for the next nine hours, and recur every time someone brings up the heroes on a half shell. You’re welcome.
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A.M.P.A.S.(r)/Michael Yada
The Academy Awards are the biggest night in Hollywood, where the best films and performances of the years are celebrated in a ceremony that always drags on a half hour too long. If you're a host or a nominee, you're going to be the talk of the town in the weeks surrounding Oscar night, but in the end, it's never the moments that you expect that steal the show, because when you gather the biggest stars in the world and put them in one room, something insane is bound to happen. Sure, Ellen Degeneres had a finely-honed monologue, but the real highlights of the evening came from an unfortunate flub or a weird, rambling presentation.
We're celebrating the biggest party in Hollywood by pulling together the best, worst and weirdest celebrity moments from the 2014 Academy Awards, so that you can catch up on or relive all of the awkward and hilarious moments from the show. They might not have won an Oscar, but they managed to steal the show from Brad Pitt's pizza party, and in some ways, that's even more deserving of an award.
World's Quickest Presentation: Channing Tatum By now, you'd think that Channing Tatum would have no problem reading a pre-written speech from a teleprompter. After all, he's one of the biggest movie stars in the world. Surely he knows how to deliver his lines by now. Unfortunately, it seemed as if his nerves got the best of him last night, and Tatum raced through his spiel about the Oscars college program so quickly it took everyone at home a minute to process what had just happened. We're not sure if he was just nervous, if he had a bet going with Jonah Hill to see how long he could speak without breathing, or if someone threatened to hold him personally responsible if the ceremony ran long, but whatever the case, we're glad to see someone at the Oscars wants to help us all get to bed at a reasonable hour.
Most Charming Speech: Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez"Let it Go," the song that everyone and their baby cousin has been singing incessantly for months, took home the Best Original Song Oscar last night, and the film's composers, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez delivered the most adorable speech of the night. There were bits spoken in unison, long passages of rhymes, a quick song breakdown, and a tear-jerking message to their daughters watching at home. It was like a Disney movie itself: pure, heartwarming fluff that you will never admit actually made you cry into your ice cream.
Most McConaughey: Kim Novak It takes a great deal of skill and careful preparation to be more rambling and nonsensical than Matthew McConaughey, but Kim Novak managed to do just that when she presented the Animation Oscars alongside the man himself. It was almost impossible to tell which bits of their speech were written on the telepromtpter and which bits she decided to wing, but either way, she decided to take the moment to have a McConologue of her own, and managed to be weirder than a guy who routinely goes on tangents about Neptune, the forces of the universe, and being his own hero. Brava, Ms. Novak. You have officially out-McConaugheyed the master.
Best Depolyment of Awards Show Singing: Darlene Love Between Diane Keaton's weirdly terrifying tribute to Woody Allen at the Golden Globes and Rita Moreno's mini-concert as she accepted her SAG Lifetime Achievement Award, this season has included an uncomfortable amount of impromptu a capella singing. But Darlene Love blew both of them out of the water, and the roof off of the Dolby Theater, when she helped celebrate the Best Documentary Oscar for 20 Feet From Stardom by belting out "His Eye is on the Sparrow," and earned a standing ovation. So, future award winners, we beg you: before you decide to sing, ask yourself "Am I Darlene Love?" If the answer is no, just stick to speaking, lest Love herself show up to put you in your place with a powerhouse belt. (Sorry, Diane.)
Most Tone-Deaf Presentation: Goldie Hawn Remember way back at the Golden Globes, when 12 Years a Slave got an awkward introduction from Reese Witherspoon, presumably because she's Southern? Well, the Oscars continued the tradition of disjointed awards show introductions, as Goldie Hawn took to the stage to present clips from that film, as well as Philomena and Nebraska. Before you could attempt to come up with a reason as to why these three films were introduced together (they all... involve road trips?), Hawn decided to end her speech about 12 Years a Slave with a big grin and a cheery inflection to her voice, which was a jarring contrast to the serious, devastating subject matter of the film. Pro tip: try and save the smile for a film that doesn't involve slavery.
Best Homage to Chariots of Fire: Jamie Foxx Jamie Foxx has never met an awards show moment he couldn't spice up. So, when it came time for him to present the award for Best Score with Jessica Biel, he decided to ignore the stuffy introduction that the Oscars had prepared for him, and instead went off-script with a few improvised jokes, before performing an a capella version of the Chariots of Fire theme, complete with slow-motion running, while Biel attempted to read off the nominees. Because nobody lives up to the old adage "anything can happen on live television" quite like Jamie Foxx. Maybe he should host next year.
Most Meme-Inspiring: John Travolta and Adella Dazeem Look, reading things is hard. At least, that's what we're assuming John Travolta's defense is after delivering the biggest flub of the night, when instead of introducing Idina Menzel, the Tony Award winner who voiced Elsa in Frozen, he instead introduced Adella Dazeem. Before Menzel even finished her song, the Internet had already pulled together dozens of memes, and a parody Twitter account had already started gaining followers. It was a year filled with difficult-to-pronounce names, but the one that got messed up was relatively straightforward. Good job, Jorn Tramolto.
Most Touching Tribute: Bill Murray In what was probably the best presenter pairing of the night, Bill Murray and Amy Adams took to the stage to reveal the winner of the Best Cinematography Oscar. After taking the time to compliment Adams the way only he can ("Baby, you look like $146 million domestic"), Murray added one last nominee to list: Harold Ramis, for Caddyshack, Ghostbusters and Groundhog Day. It was only a quick moment, and yet that tiny bit of sincerity in the midst of Murray's trademark goofiness managed to be more touching that the entirety of the official In Memoriam segment. Somewhere in the audience, Bette Midler was probably furious that someone had stolen her thunder.
The Meryl Streep Golden Shimmy Award: Meryl Streep (Ft. Pharrell, Lupita Nyong'o, and Amy Adams)Pharrell's nominated song "Happy" is infuriatingly catchy. It's the kind of song that you love and hate in equal measure, but can't help but dance to when it comes on, no matter where you are or what you're doing. Lucikly for all of us, Meryl Streep feels the same way, and when Pharrell hopped off the stage and headed into the audience during his Oscars performance, she couldn't help but join him for a little shimmy. Sure, Lupita Nyong'o and Amy Adams may have had the more enthusiastic moves, but everyone knows you haven't truly made it until you can get the most nominated actress in Oscars history to bust a move with you.
Most Jim Carrey: Jim Carrey At some point in the course of Oscars preparations, the producers probably turned to each other in frustration. "We've got this whole montage about heroes, but I can't figure out how to introduce it," one of them said. "Why don't we just stick Jim Carrey up there, and let him just fill the time however he wants. He can stick a word or two in there about heroes, and everyone will laugh because it's Jim Carrey, and we can get back to ordering all of those inflatable lawn-ornament Oscars." And that, ladies and gentlemen, is exactly what happened.
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Composers behind the scores for Academy Award-nominated movies Gravity, Her, Philomena, Saving Mr. Banks and The Book Thief were given their chance to shine on Thursday (27Feb14) at the first ever Oscar Concert. Best Original Score nominees William Butler and Owen Pallett (Her), Alexandre Desplat (Philomena), Thomas Newman (Saving Mr. Banks), Steven Price (Gravity), and John Williams (The Book Thief) were invited to take to the stage at the University of California, Los Angeles' Royce Hall, three days before Hollywood's big night, to conduct and direct their works in full.
During the special show, which was hosted by rapper/actor Common, five-time Oscar winner Williams was given a round of applause as he declared, "(Movies) wouldn't be what they are and couldn't be made without the service of a great orchestra."
The Best Original Song nominees were also performed, with Jill Scott taking on Pharrell Williams' Happy from Despicable 2, and composer Kristen Anderson-Lopez taking on Idina Menzel's vocals on Frozen's Let It Go.
The Wolf of Wall Street actress Cristin Milioti covered Karen O's The Moon Song from Her, while former The Voice contestant Matt Carmanski belted out U2's Ordinary Love from Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom.
Each of the artists behind the nominations for Best Original Song will take to the stage at Sunday's (02Mar14) Oscars in Hollywood.

Disney
After becoming the highest-grossing Disney film since The Lion King, positioning itself as the front-runner for the Best Original Song Oscar, and taking home a Golden Globe for Best Animated feature, Frozen could next conquer the Great White Way. Disney CEO and Chairman Bob Iger confirmed that the studio is turning its latest film into a stage musical. But don't rush to purchase your tickets just yet; according to Iger, they are still in the very beginning stages, and its likely to be some time before the finished show opens (if on Broadway at all). He's also hoping that a lack of time frame will help the show's creative team transform the movie into a full-on spectacle, saying, "We're not demanding speed, we're demanding excellence."
The news doesn't come as much of a surprise, considering the massive success that Frozen has enjoyed. The fact that the film has managed to entice audiences of all ages will be an asset to the stage show, as will its ability to appeal to boys as well as girls. Typically, studios have worried about princess films isolating male audiences, but between the story's universal message about the bond of family and the combination of a wise-cracking snowman and a charming mountain man sidekick, the film has avoided that problem. This means that the stage show should have little trouble selling tickets, as parents will be less hesitant about paying the higher Broadway prices if they know that their children are guaranteed to be entertained. The musical's profile will also be boosted by new songs from the film's composers, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, as Lopez is well-regarded in theater circles for his work on the hit shows Avenue Q and Book of Mormon, which will help the show gain attention from theater fans who would normally avoid a Disney show.
Which means the only real issue that the team behind Frozen has to worry about, then, is the recent influx of princess-based musicals, which may steal some of the attention and audiences that they're hoping for. Rogers and Hammerstein's Cinderella has been running for almost a year now, and despite not being a Disney production, has cornered the princess musical market quite well. However, it is about to get some competition from Aladdin, which will open in March, and between the Disney name, the charming male protagonist and the smart, sassy Princess Jasmine, it will likely be the main attraction for anyone coming to New York in search of fairy tale magic. Aladdin will be able to appeal to boys in a way that Cinderella does not, which means that as long as the reviews are positive, the show should run for quite some time, and make things difficult for shows attempting to appeal to the same audience.
In addition to Aladdin, there's an upcoming musical adaptation of the 1998 film Ever After, which is another retelling of the Cinderella story. Although it was originally planned to open in the 2013-2014 season, the show is still currently in the workshop stages, which means it could still pose a threat to Frozen, depending on when each team decides to mount their respective production. Kathleen Marshall is attached to direct Ever After, which gives it some legitimacy in the theater circles, which could hurt Frozen, even though it has the more recognizable name.
There's also competition coming from underneath the Disney umbrella as well. The studio has acquired the rights to transform William Goldman's novel The Princess Bride into a stage show, which is also currently in the early stages of development. This means that the two could be ready to open around the same time, and since their audiences are bound to overlap, as both stories appeal to multiple generations and have enough action and excitement to appeal to both genders, they would be in direct competition with one another. It's not unusual for Disney to have multiple productions running on Broadway at the same time - Aladdin will join The Lion King and Newsies, both of which have proven to be extremely popular - but they are always different enough to stand out from one another. However, mounting two princess musicals at the same time would place Frozen and The Princess Bride in direct competition with one another, which would be bad for Disney. Of course, there is the possibility that The Princess Bride will be a straight play rather than a musical, which would swing things in Frozen's favor, but it still doesn't cancel out the similarities.
All of which means that even though it was only a matter of time before Frozen made its way to Broadway, that doesn't guarantee it automatic success. Despite being one of Disney's most bankable titles, The Little Mermaid closed after only a year, and didn't manage to recoup its investment during that time, and Frozen could be in danger of the same fate. With the additional competition from so many other princess-focused musicals, Disney will have to have the right mix of time, talent and luck that has helped make its other shows such a big success. Might we suggest they consider getting Josh Gad to reprise his role as Olaf the Snowman?
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Things in the cotton capital of Australia are about to get ca-razy, y'all! The town of Wee Waa (there will be no Borat jokes in this article) has nabbed itself quite the musical guest for this year's Wee Waa Show — an annual agricultural event held in this wee shire. International electronic superstar group Daft Punk will be headlining and playing their new album, Random Access Memories, in its entirety. Say what? Man, how jealous are neighboring enclaves Pilliga and Gwabegar feeling right now, you think?
And they should be jealous. Because I'll be damned if this event doesn't have all the typical Australian country show entertainment one could only hope for in 2013. This includes treasured Wee Waa pasttimes such as the "pet show, showgirl competition, cross cut saw competition, [and] fireworks." But that's not all, you guys, because Wee Waa knows how to paaaartaaaaaaay! The shenanigans will continue bumping throughout the entire weekend, with horse events, clown troupe, an ute muster (Americans, please Google "ute musters"), and the baby show expected to bring down the house.
Should you fancy a more subdued weekend after listening to Daft Punk on the fair's Friday evening events programme, worry not, because there's something for everyone. The town of Wee Waa also has an America's Got Talent-style competition show — complete with show luncheon (some things never change, eh, former British colonies?), followed by displays of strength and anger against trees in the wood chop competition, and something called "buzz's lolly drop," which I've been assured is a real hootenanny. For those worried that the presence of the Punks would cut out the weekend's most popular events, have no fear: the farmers challenge, demolition derby, and mouse racing competition are still on.
According to a quote in local paper the Narrabri Courier, Show Society president Brett Dickinson explained how the duo was — what we call in the 'biz — a big get for The Show. "It's great for Wee Waa and fantastic for the shire ... we thought getting senator Fiona Nash to open the show was a bit of a coup, but now, our show program has been bolstered tenfold."
Fiona Nash AND Daft Punk in the shire at the same time? This place really does have everything! In fact, if the Wee Waa Show was hosted in a white fish factory on Manhattan's upper lower side (maybe near Little Isreal?), it would be a punchline on SNL's Weekend Update. But no, it's better than that — because it's real.
If anyone wants to fly me to Wee Waa to rub shoulders with the locals and partake in their seemingly excellent taste in recreational activities and good times, feel free. The weekend-long event kicks off on May 17, 2013.
Calgon, take me away. To Wee Waa!
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For years now, decades even, Christopher Walken has maintained a reputation in Hollywood for playing characters who are, to put it lightly, a bit off. When we spoke to the cinematic legend about his recent turn in the film A Late Quartet, he remarked about this pattern that has followed his career. "I’ve played a lot of bizarre, eccentric people," Walken said. "People with odd things on their minds." But his newest endeavor could mark a turning point for the actor.
The movie, a tender drama directed by feature newcomer Yaron Zilberman, hands Walken a more levelheaded, sensitive character — the sort he hopes to make a habit of playing at this stage in his life. "I think this guy is very human," Walken said of his Quartet character Peter Mitchell, an accomplished cellist whose recent diagnosis with Parkinson's Disease forces him to give up performing. "Almost, you could say, the dad in this story. As I get older, a nice thing is happening. I’m starting to get parts for uncles, grandfathers, fathers. It’s kind of a new territory for me. I hope it keeps happening."
The time-tested performer is encouraged by the new challenge. "I always look to [the question], ‘How do you stay viable?’ Being an actor is wonderful, but most actors don’t work ... The roles of Screen Actors Guild or Actors Equity, it’s something like 98% are unemployed. So that if you’re working for any reason, you’re first of all lucky. You have to be good, but you have to be a little lucky, too."
And it was not only the "new territory" of playing this character that attracted Walken, 69, to Zilberman's script, but the story surrounding the roles of his costars (Philip Seymour Hoffman, Catherine Keener, Mark Ivanir, and Imogen Poots) on the whole. "For me, it was the story of the characters. It’s a very insular story, really," Walken said. "It’s about these five people — the implications of a change in the life of one of them and how it affects everybody."
But one specific element of this movie that seems to have really spoken to Walken is its relationship with music. Although Walken himself has limited experience with musical instruments ("When I was a kid, I took the piano lessons, and I took some guitar lessons. But I never got any good at it. My hands are just not suited for that."), it is his love of music and his skill at the art of dance ("My feet work!"), that connected him to these particular themes in A Late Quartet.
"Music is life," Walken proclaimed. "The way we live has as much to do with rhythm as it has to do with logic." And to the actor, the particular genre of string music exhibited in the movie is of especial appeal. "Even when I was a little kid, I loved classical music. I still do."
Walken considers music a particularly invaluable tool in the venue of cinema. "Music is very important in the movies ... They say that the best movie music is the kind you don’t notice. I’m not so sure about that." He got to thinking about a few examples of his favorite examples of music in film, highlighting, "the way [Martin] Scorsese, for instance, uses contemporary music." Walken also doesn't forget about the classics: "Let’s face it — Gone with the Wind is thrilling. There are many examples. I love movie music. Some of the great composers of that time… you don’t have to watch the movie, just listen to people like [Erich Wolfgang] Korngold and Carl Davis. Music is part of life."
And Walken connects the performance of music, or performance of any sort at all, to that of acting, which is where he compromised his A Late Quartet character with his own life experiences. "I think the big equation with that would be between being in a string quartet and being an actor ... the performing aspect. When you do a play, or you do ballet, opera, any kind of performance where people buy tickets and sit and watch you, that it’s a particular kind of thing. There’s an element of all of these things that doesn’t get mentioned: the audience."
The actor's relationship with his audience extends far beyond what you might expect. "They are always the other characters in a play," he said. "They’re a big part of the show. Dealing with that is something that performers particularly understand. I think, for me, my experience on the stage, in front of cameras, and all that, was very equivalent to having to perform music."
"These quartet people are performers," Walken continued. "I may not have understood how to play the cello, but I know what being a performer is. The relationship with the audience, who is always the other character. The people buy a ticket, they expect something — it’s expensive, they made an effort to get there. You have to be your best. You have a given amount of time to do what you do best. And that’s something particular to people who perform for a living."
This keen understanding and appreciation of performance is evident in both the cast members who make up A Late Quartet and in the film's director. "You’re going to have to hand it to Yeron Zilberman on many levels," Walken said. "He’s remarkable in many ways. He did what really good directors do: they cast well. And it’s been said, if you get the right actors for the right parts, you don’t have to do a lot with them. You hire them and sort of let them loose. And all good directors do that. He was also very generous about his own learning curve. He let the actors contribute a lot."
Clearly, Walken has a special flare and passion for performance, and acting something he wants to continue doing for many years to come. "In Europe, actors keep going until they drop," Walken declared with admiration. "My favorite actor story is about John Gielgud. He was 96 and they wanted to throw him a big party. And he said [he] couldn’t come because I was on location making a movie. I think that’s wonderful for an actor to just keep going."
A Late Quartet is currently playing in select theaters.
[Photo Credit: RKO Pictures (2)]
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Hal David — known for hits like “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head”— died of complications from a stroke at 91 years old Saturday in Los Angeles, Hollywood.com has confirmed.
He certainly will remain a legend in the music industry — David and longtime writing partner Burt Bacharach wrote for famous acts like The Beatles, Frank Sinatra, and Dionne Warwick, who collaborated with the duo on many hits, including “Do You Know the Way to San Jose,” “I Say A Little Prayer,” and “Walk on By.”
Considering how many Top 40 hits David and Bacharach penned since meeting at New York’s Tin Pan Alley song factory in 1957, it was only a matter of time until Oscar took notice. David — a former president for the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers — picked up nominations for writing Casino Royale’s “The Look of Love” and the title tracks from Alfie and What’s New, Pussycat?, and, in 1970, an Oscar for Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’s “Raindrops Keep Fallin’ On My Head.”
Even the White House took notice of David’s influence on pop culture. In spring 2012, President Barack Obama rewarded David and Bacharach with the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song. (“These guys have still got it,” Obama said at the event, which David was unable to attend due to health reasons.)
The duo might have scored their first hit in 1958 with Perry Como’s “Magic Moments” — and broke up in 1973 after poor reviews for their Lost Horizon work sparked a tenuous relationship between the two for a long 19 years — but their collaborations will continue to hit airwaves. Acts like Alicia Keys record Bacharach and David originals today.
Paul Williams, the current President and Chairman of ASCAP, released the following statement to Hollywood.com about the dearly departed songwriter: “Hal David has been a great inspiration to me both as a songwriter, a mentor, and as a leader of ASCAP. As a lyric writer, Hal was simple, concise and poetic --conveying volumes of meaning in fewest possible words and always in service to the music. It is no wonder that so many of his lyrics have become part of our everyday vocabulary and his songs... the backdrop of our lives. ASCAP enjoyed Hal’s devoted service and leadership for nearly four decades as a Board member and six years as President. He was always able to see the big picture when it came to the music business and was one of the most respected and valued voices in our music community. His concern for his fellow ASCAP members was always paramount. To me, he was a faithful friend and supporter, whom I will miss deeply. I know that all of ASCAP’s members join me in mourning his loss.”
[Image Credit: Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images]

The show has suffered a number of setbacks since it began preview performances in November (10), with a series of onset accidents and further safety inspections forcing producers to push back the launch date until January (11).
On Friday (17Dec10) it was revealed the big-budget play would be delayed once more, opening in February (11) instead.
But producer Cohl has defended the decision to postpone the grand opening, insisting it was necessary to give Taymor adequate time to revamp certain aspects of the show.
He tells Rolling Stone, "It was a culmination of reasons. This is a continuing process. We're previewing, which takes away from our time to iron out wrinkles and put other things in.
"(Taymor had) some great new ideas over the last two or three weeks. We said, 'Yeah, let's put them in.'
"But if it takes a week for everybody to figure things out and put them in the show, well, we don't have that many rehearsal hours between now and January 11th."
Cohl adds that the new launch date will give the musical's composers, U2 rockers Bono and The Edge, time to perfect the sound as they've had to skip previews due to tour commitments in Australia.
He adds, "They couldn't be here to work on the songs, and tweak things in the sound. So we turned it into a positive rather than a negative. If we delay it for a month, Bono and Edge will be back from Australia, and Julie can get everything done that she wants."
Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark will now open on 7 February (11).

A few weeks ago, the much-anticipated Tron: Legacy soundtrack from Daft Punk -- a.k.a. those two French dudes in robot helmets -- hit shelves everywhere. The critical reaction to Guy-Manuel de Homem-Christo and Thomas Bangalter's work? Some hate it, some love it. But regardless, the release got us thinking so we gathered a collection of our favorite motion picture soundtracks or scores in cinema history.
Tron: Legacy is out this weekend on December 17.
The Graduate (1967)
Director: Mike Nichols
Music by Simon &amp; Garfunkel
At the end of The Graduate, as Benjamin grabs Elaine, we witness a protagonist broken by frustration but overtaken by hope. They finally escape, and in that moment of relaxation, as "Sounds of Silence" chimes in, Benjamin crashes -- identifying with his own realization that he doesn't know what the hell to do, he didn't grow up and he's the same fearful 20-year-old as before. Subtract the song? You're left with an empty, emotionless scene. So here's to you, Mrs. Robinson -- for breaking Benjamin. We really do love you more than you'll ever know.
A Hard Day's Night (1964)
Director: Richard Lester
Music by The Beatles
Sure, throwing The Beatles on the list may seem like an easy cop-out, but sometimes you just need to take a moment and recognize that there's a reason the Fab Four are widely regarded to be one of the greatest bands the world has ever known. Because, quite simply, they are fucking awesome. A Hard Day's Night captured Beatlemania at its highest point and showed off what the group did best: music.
Once (2007)
Director: John Carney
Music by Glen Hansard, Marketa Irglová
In Once, we don't even know the main characters names, but that doesn't matter. With each song, we feel their heartbreak, their frustration and perhaps most importantly, their love. A much-deserved Oscar winner for Best Song, "Falling Slowly" will continue to be the best-fucking-heart-ripped-out-break-up song for years to come.
Trainspotting (1996)
Director: Danny Boyle
Music by Various Artists
Sex, heroin, and punk music: does much more need to be said? Danny Boyle's Trainspotting not only used great music, but maximized its cinematic potential. Without the peppy, catchy "Lust for Life" from Iggy Pop or Lou Reed's heartbreaking "Perfect Day," the atmosphere of the worlds -- both good and bad -- of hard drugs would've been lost.
(Warning: This clip features heavy drug use. NSFW)
Good Will Hunting (1997)
Director: Gus Van Sant
Music by Various Artists
In his short career, the late Elliott Smith managed to be one of the most prolific songwriters of the modern music era. And despite his songwriting being so unbelievably sad, perhaps his most famous track, "Miss Misery," gives hope. The Oscar-nominated song found its fame placed at the end of Good Will Hunting, softly playing behind a man who has decided to leave all he knows just to see about a girl.
The Royal Tenenbaums (2001)
Director: Wes Anderson
Score by Mark Mothersbaugh, Songs by Various Artists
In The Royal Tenenbaums, director Wes Anderson looked to one of the most brilliant musical minds of the past 40 years: Mark Mothersbaugh. The Devo-frontman contributes to an odd collection of artists -- ranging from Nico to Elliott Smith -- to form a seamless stretch of music that flows together so effortlessly the songs feel more at home on the soundtrack than in their place of origin.
This Is Spinal Tap (1984)
Director: Rob Reiner
Music by Spinal Tap
Turn it up to 11.
Raiders of the Lost Ark (1981)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Score by John Williams
With 45 Oscar nominations, it's safe to call John Williams one of the most prolific and successful composers of all-time -- and Raiders of the Lost Ark is his finest work. Through the grand and dramatic score, he channeled all his talent to capture the true essence of Indiana Jones and forever thrust him into the spotlight as a true hero.
Almost Famous (2000)
Director: Cameron Crowe
Music by Various Artists
Secretly, we all wish we were rock stars during the '60s and '70s. Few films illustrate the culture of spurring fame like Almost Famous. And what would a rock 'n' roll film be without rock 'n' roll? This soundtrack is more than a sweet mix-tape your cool uncle gave you. The music -- from Elton John's anthem "Tiny Dancer" to the harmonies of Yes -- perfectly shows the development of a young boy tossed into one helluva situation, yet somehow emerges a mature young man.
Psycho (1960)
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Score by Bernard Herrmann
One way to measure success in cinema is to look at how a film stands up over time. Psycho, though released fifty years ago, still contains one of the most terrifying moments in movie history: the infamous shower scene. The reason for its enduring success? That disturbing screech.